The present disclosure relates to a toner container in which a rotational member is provided.
An image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral or a printer for electrophotographically forming an image on a print sheet is installed with a developing device. Developer including toner is stored inside the developing device. The developing device, by using toner in the developer, develops an electrostatic latent image that is formed on an image-carrying member such as a photoconductor drum. The amount of toner inside of the developing device decreases when the developing is performed. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus includes a toner container in which toner is stored, and the toner container is configured to replenish toner to the developing device. In addition, the toner container is removably attached to the image forming apparatus. When all of the toner inside the toner container is depleted, the toner container is replaced with a new toner container that is full of toner.
The toner container includes, on its inside, a rotational member for stirring toner and conveying it to a specific position. A rotational shaft of the rotational member is rotatably supported by a bearing portion that is provided in an inner surface of a side wall of the toner container. Generally, as a support mechanism for a rotational shaft, for example, there is known a mechanism that inserts the rotational shaft into a shaft hole that is formed in an inner surface of the toner container. In addition, there is known a mechanism that forms, on an inner surface of the toner container, a long groove whose one end is a terminal end portion and the other end is an open opening portion, inserts a rotational shaft into the long groove from the opening portion, and supports the rotational shaft with the terminal end portion.